Gavroche opened his eyes sleepily. He felt oddly...comforted. He finally realized he is laying on a bed, and a pretty huge one, though lacking the grandeur. He smells himself. He is definitely bathed for he could smell some soap. And a fresh shirt!
He rubs his eyes. He could hear the sound of papers and a clinking of cups.
Monsieur Courfeyrac smiled as soon as he sees him standing awkwardly by the doorway of his bedroom. "Gavroche, I didn't know you're awake" He said from the table. "Here, come! Has some breakfast!" He beckons Gavroche to come towards the table.
Courfeyrac then handed him a bowl of mushroom soup. "The proprietress made me this last night when we came home from picking up Eponine, eat up" The boy hesitatingly took his first spoonful of soup. But then, perhaps from his growling stomach, more spoonfuls are going into his mouth.
Gavroche smiled happily as he wiped the excess of his soup off the corners of his mouth. However, he noticed the slight rigidness in the student's frame, he is clearly hiding something. "M'sieur Courfeyrac?"
The student finally snapped out of his reverie and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Come, I think Eponine and Combeferre is already waiting for us in his flat" The child followed him as they ventured to Combeferre apartment upstairs.
Combeferre and Eponine are sitting quietly. Combeferre stirred his tea absentmindedly, while Eponine just stare out the window. Combeferre cleared his throat, "Eponine, may I ask you a question?" Eponine only shrugged nonchalantly in a silent permission.
"I know this must've sound rather...suspicious," He took in a deep breath. "But would you like to live with me?" Eponine bolted upright. "What?!"
Combeferre suddenly feels small. He may've been bigger in size, but he knows little in ways of self defence., and this girl...well, she might've learned quite a lot. "Courfeyrac and I thought...it would've been better for you and Gavroche, and safer!"
"To hell with safety! You know Paris! There isn't a safe place at all! What if my father found us?!" She nearly screamed. "w-well, we can come up with something!" He heard Eponine muttered something that sounds like, 'That's real comforting,' under her breath.
"But I have no doubt that Gavroche will be taken care of, Courfeyrac cares a great deal about that boy! He will have an education, meals, clothes! Think of how happy he will be!" Combeferre finally regained his confidence. The girl acrossed of him sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll think about it"
He grinned. He stood up when he heard a knock at his door. He quickly strode over to the main door and open it. "Morning Combeferre, how's Eponine?" Courfeyrac asks. "Uh...she's fine, just resting in the spareroom" Courfeyrac and Gavroche follows Combeferre to the spare bedroom where Eponine is currently resting.
"Eponine!" Gavroche quickly walked over to Eponine. "Hey there! Someone's dressing up!" Gavroche grinned proudly. "You look like a little Monsieur!" Eponine joked. Courfeyrac clears his throat. The two immediately looked up towards the two man standing by the bedroom doorway. "Well, now that we all are here..." Courfeyrac started, "Combeferre?"
Gavroche looks puzzled. His mind tried to process what's going on. "What's going on, 'Ponine?" Eponine set Gavroche next to her. "Courfeyrac wants you to move in with him" Gavroche stared at Eponine wide-eyed. "But don't worry, I'll stay with Combeferre also" She explains.
"Oh..." Gavroche mutters. "That's fine with me" Gavroche shrugs. The three looks relieved. Eponine was, at first, scared at how her brother would react. But now that everything seems fine, she is visibly relieved. She exchanged a smile with Combeferre as they watched Courfeyrac trying to teach Gavroche how to read.
It'd been a few months since Eponine is moving in with Combeferre, and Gavroche with Courfeyrac. The boy is really couldn't be happier. Even though his clothes are simple, but it is definitely an improvement from the rags he used to wear.
And Combeferre and Courfeyrac had been trying to teach them how to read, write and calculate. They also gained weight, in which Eponine is grateful for.
By now, the four are inseparable. They always attend the meetings together. The Les Amis clearly sees the change in the two Thérnadier siblings. They are more...nourished, more happy. They used to look like lost children, now it seems like they have a sense of direction.
"I...it's...m-more...than...a...f-f-frog" Gavroche stammered as he tries to read a sentence on the thin storybook Courfeyrac had bought him. "That is nice, Gavroche" Courfeyrac praises, ruffling the boy's hair affectionately. "Now, why don't you work your writing with Grantaire while I go check on your sister?"
Surprisingly, Grantaire had offered to teach the boy how to write. It's amazing how the usual winecask can actually sober up. Courfeyrac watched with an amused smirk as he watch the two playful banter whilst Grantaire tried to have Gavroche write the alphabets.
Eponine, on the other hand, seemed to managed quite fast. She can write fluently, now, and can manage reading a novel. Her thin frame also starts to fill up, also, and to be honest, she looks quite beautiful now that she actually has some weight and much-needed cleanliness. It seems that those afternoon spent with the landlady really did some good after all.
Eponine is in the corner of the room, chatting with Combeferre and Marius. Eponine and Marius seemed to be in quite a banter while Combeferre would occassionally throws his own bits here and there.
'They would make quite a good couple, though. Better than Eponine and Marius could ever be,' He tilted his head to one side. They looked kind of suited to each other.
Besides, Combeferre had been talking about her non-stop. Well, not non-stop, but nearing that point. Anytime he greets him and asks how things are, he would respond with, "Eponine this," or "Eponine that" Combeferre is really devoting himself to care for Eponine. 'Which is a symtomp of a smitten chap' Courfeyrac rubs his chin thoughtfully.
Well, Combeferre would never say he is if he asks. But...'He will come to his senses, eventually' Courfeyrac shrugs.
Combeferre, Eponine, and Marius is laughing jovially. More than once did Eponine lightly touched his arms or praises him. "I certainly don't understand what his points are!" Eponine and Marius are already broke into another heap of laughter. Their faces already red from the previous rounds of laughter.
"Well, I certainly understand though, you are quite a beautiful flower now, 'Ponine!" Marius laughs. Combeferre is confused. Did he just...flirts with Eponine? Oh, Goodness. This is certainly not happening. This is mad.
"Hello, hello!" Courfeyrac steps in, throwing one arm around his shoulder and one on Marius's. He couldn't be more grateful. "Courfeyrac, how did Gavroche do?" Eponine smiled. "He's doing great!"
Eponine and Courfeyrac fell into a deep discussion about Gavroche and his progress. "Combeferre, may I talk to you?" Marius asks timidly.
"Sure," He stood up from the chair and followed Marius outside. They stood up into the chilly spring air.
"What is it?" He looked up at Marius questioningly. "I need your help,"
"If it is in my power, then I will try to do as much as I can" Marius become more fidgety. "Will you...help me" He sighed agitatedly. "Combeferre, will you help me with Eponine?"
In that moment, Combeferre is so sure that the world had lost its course. And he is the cause.
A/N : Cliffy, weeee! I love writing cliffy! DUNDUNDUN...what will Combeferre says?! TUNE IN! And don't forget tooooo...READ AND REVIEW! GOODNIGHT! Xx. SSRenaissance